Taking Credit for Success

18 points by ilikescience 12 years ago | 5 comments

jmzbond 12 years ago |

I agree, but would add a caveat. I feel like many Millennials have grown up in a world where we were so afraid of failure we over-emphasized success. Everyone is a winner, everyone gets a sticker of some kind.

As many times as I see people not wallowing in their success, I see people who wallow in it way too much. A balance is really important to ensure that one success doesn't derail you or over-inflate your ego too much that you become, by consequence, more sensitive to risk and afraid to fail.

ilikescience 12 years ago | |

I think the difference might be in giving yourself a pat on the back, as opposed to looking to everyone around you to validate your success. The 'everyone gets a sticker' mentality is totally harmful. That's why it's important to realize success on your own terms — you don't need the sticker.

spiritplumber 12 years ago |

This is excellent advice... the problem occurs when someone louder claims success for your work. It can be a bigger company, or it can simply be someone who, due to not spending any time inventing, has more time for self-promotion.

I haven't found a non-violent solution for this yet; timestamped video doesn't seem to work, nor do patents.

locopati 12 years ago | |

What works for me is accepting that my idea is out there doing it's thing (even if someone else stole it). On a plus side, if things go dramatically wrong, the fingers aren't going to point at me.

spiritplumber 12 years ago | | |

That's very zen but the fourth-fifth time you win the let's-outsmart-nature game but someone else walks away with the prize, it's frustrating.

There has to be SOME success in between failures. There has to be some recognition of success. Otherwise one goes mad.